LP playback vs Reel tapes made from LP

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I have a large collection of 10 inch reels, all professionally recorded from LP's, some almost twenty years ago. Some were at 15 ips, 7.5 ips and 3.75 ips. Some are two track stereo, other 4 track stereo. Some of these tapes were produced by various broadcast music services like Drake, Media General. Others were produced by the government, e. g. AFRTS. I have many of the source LP's and I have compared the quality of the tapes with the LP's. Again, some of the tapes are great, others trash. In general, most do not have any artifacts. I've recorded many of my LP's with a high end sound card in my computer using Steinberg software. Again, some times the tapes shine other times not. A lot has been written about the Drake production methods and the tight quality control that was used. Most of what we heard on FM radio were Drake tapes. So, if the LP's were well recorded and you use a top line rig, they always win.

If you have a very good LP setup then tape will not sound alike to LP unless you got for 15ips, high bias tape and high bias machine. Still, there is some lost of space and corruption of imaging that it very hard to get on tape if you have a truly able LP setup and properly cut records. Reversely. if you have a very good 15ips recording then it is VERY difficult, practically imposable to match it on LP. The LP at 45rpm has more promise but there was no good music cut on 45rpm.

If you looking to backup some of your most valuable LPs then nowadays probably digital at 24bit is way to go but prepare that it will be very difficult to get in digital the quality that LP might offer. It might be very pricy and VERY complicated if the demands for quality are high enough.

'Fm login'- " The LP at 45rpm has more promise but there was no good music cut on 45rpm."

That's been incorrect for many years. 'Analogue Productions' and 'Music Matters' jazz reissues, just for a 'for instance'. Plus, many others.

BTW my Alesis ML9100 is a sweet tool to transfer from LPs and not expencive $500 used...

Marakanetz

Sorry if I mislead you here. My little collection of a few hundred LPs are 'RIP-ing' in my closet. My reel tapes have long since been discarded, and the TEAC was stolen.

My hard of seeing deal prevents me from having the confidence to invest in a very nice TT & it's needed accessories... I've replaced that which I can with the re-issued CD.

Audacity was one I'd mention for ripping records to HDD... there are a wealth of others online which one can try too that I've seen as some of my albums can not be found on disc now. the thing is for me, it's a cost prohibitive measure... a few grand for maybe 100 albums of now questionable quality? Naw. Not me.

AS I can't properly preview them I can't sell them either. I would like to know if they've stood the test of time however and would also very very much so like to have them dupped onto disc if they're worth the doing. They're all rock and roll from the 60s to mid 70s. Some never saw side B played.